Teens To Re-Create Santa & His Reindeer Sleigh For Longest Running Parade on Water
NEWPORT BEACH, CA (October 8, 2014)-The Rowing Club of the Newport Beach Sea Base will start a new tradition this holiday season as they transform their rowing boat into a reindeer sleigh on water, powered by 9 athletes representing each of Santa’s reindeer, as they glide around the harbor with Santa in tow for the 106th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. They will participate in the final two nights of the Parade, Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21.
Newport Beach locals Michelle and Aaron Green teamed up with the Newport Sea Base to bring a community driven rowing program this past August. With an emphasis on raising awareness in the greater Orange County area about the benefits of participating in the sport of rowing, Newport Sea Base Rowing is committed to bringing family and fun together to the community.
“One of the biggest draws for our program has been the college recruiting process that we have for our athletes, which includes a college recruitment advisor. College admissions has become more and more competitive, and by having your application flagged by a rowing program goes a long way toward getting into your dream school,” shared Michelle Green. She goes on to explain that Title IX, an initiative which increased collegiate funding to women’s sports, has been pivotal in the rowing community, with more high school athletes being recruited than in any other sport – and nearly 1 of every 2 female athletes receiving scholarships to row in college.
The Newport Sea Base Rowing program has many programs in place, which includes programs for junior high, a competitive high school team, an adult learn to row that meet on the weekends, ERG Classes during the week and they are planning on filling the calendar with many more options for the community to get out and row!
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights home decorating competition is Newport Beach’s Christmas card to the world. The boat parade runs for five consecutive nights, beginning Wednesday, December 17 and ending Sunday, December 21, 2014. Each night the parade starts at Bay Island at 6:30 p.m. and finishes at the same site at approximately 9:00 p.m., completing its 14.7-mile route around Newport Harbor.
The theme for the 2014 Christmas Boat Parade is “Deck the Hulls with Bows of Jolly”.
Each year, many boat and home participants decorate with millions of lights and decorations, which helped Newport Beach earn the designation in 2011 as the “#2 Destination in the Country for Holiday Lights” by Yahoo Travel. Additionally, the Christmas Boat Parade has been hailed as “One of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation” by the New York Times.
Serving, as the backdrop for the hundreds of lighted boats in the parade is the annual “Ring of Lights” contest. A spectacle all its own, beautifully decorated bayside homes and businesses surrounding the harbor go “all out” with their own holiday spirit, featuring everything from roof-top animated scenes to dancing Christmas trees. With its own judged categories and prizes awarded, the “Ring of Lights” has become as celebrated as the boat parade itself.
The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights are organized by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. The organizing committees look forward each year to see how the boat owners and homeowners will decorate around the theme. Some boat owners in the past have spent over $50,000 to decorate their vessels for the event.
With a significant positive financial impact on the city, especially to its restaurants, hotels and charters in terms of tourism, marketing and generating business during the holiday season, the Parade continues to be a highlight of the Newport Beach lifestyle.
For more information about the 106th Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, please visit www.christmasboatparade.com.
For information on hotel packages or restaurants with specials during the parade go to www.visitnewportbeach.com.
For more information on the Newport Sea Base Rowing, go to www.seabaserowing.org or contact Michelle Green/949-396-1302.
Photo from www.seabaserowing.org
About Newport Beach & Company
Founded in January 2013, Newport Beach & Co. is a non-profit organization established to serve as the official marketing agency for the city of Newport Beach. The agency seeks to bring together all of the marketing entities connected to the Newport Beach brand, and is designed to oversee separate business units that include Visit Newport Beach, Dine Newport Beach, Celebrate Newport Beach, Enterprise Newport Beach and Newport Beach TV. Additionally, Newport Beach & Co. includes the Newport Beach Foundation focused on creative charitable endeavors that support the business community.
About the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce
The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is a business organization of almost 800 members representing over 20,000 employees. The Chamber, with its five councils, committees, staff and valuable members, works with city officials, local businesses and the community at large to promote the local economy.
About the Commodores Club
The Commodores Club is a council comprised of actively involved members of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce providing leadership, organization and fundraising support on business, social and community special events that promote the overall mission of the Chamber.
About the Newport Sea Base
Since 1937, the Newport Sea Base has provided fun and valuable educational maritime-based programs to all youth. Year-round, girls and boys learn oceanography, marine biology, environmental science, boating safety, dinghy and keelboat sailing, canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and other aquatic-related subjects. Newport Sea Base Rowing is open to anyone residing in Orange County, California.
